South Korea
Military spending in US dollars in South Korea
Military spending in US dollars in South Korea: $185M in 1953 and $48.9B in 2025, by SIPRI estimates.
- Latest, 2025
- $48.9B
- Since 1953
- +$48.7B
- Rank, 2025
- 11 of 151
- counting from the highest
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | South Korea |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $48.9B |
| 2024 | $47.6B |
| 2023 | $46.8B |
| 2022 | $46.6B |
| 2021 | $47.6B |
| 2020 | $45.6B |
| 2019 | $43.3B |
| 2018 | $40.1B |
| 2017 | $38.1B |
| 2016 | $37.4B |
| 2015 | $36.5B |
| 2014 | $35.2B |
| 2013 | $33.8B |
| 2012 | $32.8B |
| 2011 | $32B |
| 2010 | $31.6B |
| 2009 | $31.3B |
| 2008 | $29.5B |
| 2007 | $27.7B |
| 2006 | $26.5B |
| 2005 | $25.5B |
| 2004 | $23.6B |
| 2003 | $22.6B |
| 2002 | $21.9B |
| 2001 | $21.3B |
| 2000 | $20.7B |
| 1999 | $19.5B |
| 1998 | $20B |
| 1997 | $20.8B |
| 1996 | $20.3B |
| 1995 | $20B |
| 1994 | $18.3B |
| 1993 | $17.8B |
| 1992 | $17B |
| 1991 | $16B |
| 1990 | $15.6B |
| 1989 | $15B |
| 1988 | $14.1B |
| 1987 | $13.3B |
| 1986 | $13B |
| 1985 | $12B |
| 1984 | $11.1B |
| 1983 | $10.9B |
| 1982 | $10.4B |
| 1981 | $10B |
| 1980 | $9.66B |
| 1979 | $8.82B |
| 1978 | $9.39B |
| 1977 | $7.54B |
| 1976 | $6.34B |
| 1975 | $4.41B |
| 1974 | $3.82B |
| 1973 | $2.99B |
| 1972 | $2.97B |
| 1971 | $2.54B |
| 1970 | $2.16B |
| 1969 | $2.09B |
| 1968 | $1.81B |
| 1967 | $1.54B |
| 1966 | $1.38B |
| 1965 | $767M |
| 1964 | $730M |
| 1963 | $771M |
| 1962 | $933M |
| 1961 | $804M |
| 1960 | $771M |
| 1959 | $796M |
| 1958 | $750M |
| 1957 | $635M |
| 1956 | $739M |
| 1955 | $516M |
| 1954 | $465M |
| 1953 | $185M |
- Estimate
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, in constant 2024 US dollars so that years compare, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Marked points are SIPRI’s own: a dot where it gives the figure as its estimate, a ring where it calls the figure highly uncertain.
- Ranks count the 151 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
South Korea in numbers
Every measure for South Korea on one page
Health
People
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spending2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per person$924 in 2025
- Military share of state spending10.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnel569,000 people in 2020
- National power2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workers2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms imports222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exports2.02 billion TIV in 2025